Optical fibers are generally fabricated so as to have substantially constant core and cladding diameters. These constant diameters result in low propagation losses, and permit relatively straightforward connecterization of fiber cables and fiber splicing. However, tapered fibers can be useful as well. For example, a tapered fiber can be used to suppress higher order modes, or to expand a mode field diameter to improve mode matching between different fibers. Tapering a fiber is typically based on a drawing process so that a fiber core and cladding are tapered in the same manner, and a ratio of core and cladding diameters is unchanged by tapering. Some applications of fiber technology can be better addressed with independent control of fiber core and cladding diameters.